tiggers

Just giving the new U2 album it's third listen and I'm rather impressed. As a fan of U2 I keep waiting for them to finally release a total duffer, but it's not happened yet.

Their latest offering slots in nicely sound wise between 'Achtung Baby' and 'All that you can't leave behind'.

Most of the songs are well crafted and the sound is not too polished - all in all an excellent album IMHO.

Has anyone else listened to it yet? What are your thoughts?

Regards,

tiggers.

P.S. If you're not a fan of U2 that's fine - just don't bother with the 'They're crap' replies - thanks!!

mart360

I,ll be honest,

the only song i like from U2 is fire,

however whenever you mention it to anyone, they give you looks of lunacy, and come out with the,, oh you mean unforgettable fire..

erm no...

they are an aquired taste,

still if you like it, thats what counts..

M

andypugh2000

Not heard it yet but its on my list for christmas

tiggers

Blimey, that's going back a bit mart. Do you remember them performing it on TOTP with a bewildered look on their faces - little did we know what was to come

Cheers,

tiggers.

mart360

At least some one remembers it!!!!

M

tiggers

Well I've been a fan since I first saw them in the late 70's - jeez that makes me realise how old I am.

tiggers.

GC8

I used to really like U2 a long time ago; October; War; The Unforgetable Fire & The Joshua Tree but after Rattle & Hum I lost interest, tempted by Stone Roses and acid house.....

Vertigo has really caught my attention; other people mightnt agree that they lost it; but it sounds as though they might have got it back. It reminds me of the U2 that I liked as a boy; is the whole album similar sounding?

Simon

GC8

I remember seeing them perform '11 O'clock tick-tock' in about 1981; that might have been Top of the Pops.....

tiggers

Simon,

Yeah it's all pretty much along the lines of Vertigo soundwise. I would have thought if you liked early U2 you'd have liked Achtung Baby as well - don't be guided by the singles the album as a whole is quite raw.

Actually I remember Bono being asked about the rawness of the sound of Achtung and he said 'It's the sound of four men chopping down The Joshua Tree' - alluding to how overplayed the singles from The Joshua Tree tracks were and Achting was a reaction to this.

Cheers,

tiggers.

GC8

I havent actually heard 'Achtung Baby'; though I probably should have given it a go; the only thing from the nineties that I actually liked was a CNC remix of 'Even Better Than the Real Thing'.

I walked past the Manchester Apollo a couple of days ago which reminded me of the Unforgettable Fire tour; Ive been meaning to get my old U2 records out for ages; Im sure that my Joshua Tree has U2's autographs in it from after the 1987 Wembley concert too.

tiggers

You can get Achtung pretty cheap now - I think you might go for it if you give it a few listens. You're right - the remix of 'Even Better' is excellent.

Autographed Joshua Tree LP - might be a good time to flog it on Ebay if you're not intent on keeping it.

As for the Apollo in Manchester - now there's a venue - been many times - one time I didn't even get my car broken into

Cheers,

tiggers.

andypugh2000

You must give achtung baby a whirl its first class and arguably their best album, I saw them live at wembley stadium in 1993 on the zooropa tour and to say mindblowing was an understatement

andy

GC8

Unfortunately it isnt the album itself; its a piece of paper that I kept in the album. I think it was a copy of my friends parachute training certificate.

Ive been meaning to get U2 albums on CD as i only have The Joshua Tree and Rattle & Hum. Under a Blood Red Sky and The Unforgetable Fire first though I think.

Simon

wakeboardar

does anyone remember when they sang two hearts live on top of the pops and bono forgot the words

Andy S.

Got it on Thursday, on my second listen think it is the best since achtung.

Have they made any official dates for the Tour yet?

rumours are it is only Twickenham in this country!

tiggers

No oifficial dates yet as far as I know. Keeping my eyes on their web site for info.

tiggers.

Jiggerypokery

I managed to sneak into the VIP box when they were doing the POP mart tour, climbed a couple of railings (and jumped a large gap) when the security gaurds were looking the other way.

"City of Blinding Lights" is my favourite off this album so far, after some of the Vertigo remixes.

MattW

Bought tonight but not hada chance yet. probably wait till my trip to work on monday now.

Leslie

Original question.

Very carefully and at arm's length Tiggers.

Les

STi-Frenchie

I have all the U2 albums but not picked up the new one yet so I'm delighted to hear folks likening it to Achtung Baby which I consider to be their finest hour. I think they've already had their total duffer - Pop - that was awful (IMHO).

tiggers

Funny I realised late last night that the title of the thread is a little misleading unless you happen to know the title of the new U2 album

Arms length? Maybe a bit further like a country's length

Cheers,

tiggers.

Mark Miwurdz

[unrelated]

I've got a pair of Larry Mullen's drumsticks when he threw them into the crowd - one from Brighton and the other from Nottingham. Both gigs were in the spring of 1982.

[/unrelated]

Awesome band although Bono's political rants do get tedious.

Cheers
Kav

Chimp-Choker

After All That You Can't Leave Behind I was a bit worried about the new album as that was a bit bland to be honest.
After a few listens through I'm well impressed, U2 seem to have matured quite nicely and perhaps have settled down on a sound.

Definitely their best recent album.

Andy, I saw them at Wembley in '93 too. They were good but I saw them a week or so later at Roundhay in Leeds and they were absolutely awesome!

Spudgun R32

ive always considered myself a big u2 fan, theyre the only band ive ever been to see live, have all the albums including passengers etc etc.


BUT

i think the new one is bland,samey,and lacking in decent melodies, and if it was an album by anyone no-one had heard of, wouldnt be given a second play. been playing my glc cd in my car instead (hilarious stuff!), and thats saying something.
i think u2 have run out of steam, wheres the riskiness of zooropa gone? the new album bores me.